Gift
by darklady919
Summary: Implied AXT, oneshot. Christmas is nearing and Tres has yet to get Abel a gift when he gets help from a rather unexpected source...


Hi!

This is a random oneshot that occurred to me during a free period, when I had the thought "What would you get an android for Christmas?" which was quickly followed by "What would an android get someone for Christmas?" and it kind of ran away…

And so this is what you get.

Thanks to my lovely beta, moonpixi.

Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood, the characters, anything. Well, I do own this plot, but that's it. The rest belongs to people who are much richer than I am.

Enjoy!

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Gift

"So… what are you getting Abel?"

Tres cocked his head to the side slightly.

Leon gave him a look. "For Christmas."

"…"

Leon sighed. "You do realize it would be… appropriate… for you to get him _something_."

"Positive. During the holiday season, people buy gifts to give to those who are close to them. They then exchange these tokens of appreciation with each other on Christmas or Christmas Eve."

Leon stared at him. "… Are you quoting someone?"

"Positive. I have already had this discussion with Sister Esther."

Leon blinked. "Oh."

Silence.

"So… what are you getting him?"

"I was not aware that it is customary to tell others of the gift before giving it.'

"… It's not."

"Then your inquiry is inappropriate."

Leon sighed. "It's not customary, but there's nothing against it, either."

Silence.

Leon gave up.

Tres blinked absently as he turned to look out the window at the falling snow as he automatically recorded Cardinal Caterina's meeting. Unfortunately, the snow reminded him of the rapidly approaching Christmas, which reminded him that he still had to get a gift for Abel.

And that he didn't even have an _idea_ for a gift for Abel.

It was, however, slightly surprising to find out how many people believed that he had no idea what Christmas was. This was an illogical conclusion to Tres, as he had been a member of the AX for several years, and thus had experienced Christmas several times before. He understood that since he and Abel had been a couple for several months it was expected that they would exchange gifts.

He just had no idea of what that gift should be.

He turned his full attention back to the meeting just as it was ending, and waited for the Duchess' signal before he rose to accompany her out.

The walk back to her office was silent, as it normally was, but when they reached their destination and were behind closed doors Caterina turned to Tres. "Have you gotten your gift for Abel yet?"

Well, at least the question implied that he knew he was supposed to get one.

Come to think of it, he hadn't been aware that Caterina knew of their relationship.

"Negative."

"Hmmm… I shouldn't need you for the rest of the day, so why don't you go and get it. I can keep Abel busy for a while, and I'll tell him I sent you on an errand."

"Affirmative." Tres turned to leave.

"Have fun." Caterina chuckled.

He doubted that would be the case.

Tres looked straight ahead of him as he walked down the crowded streets of Rome. Many people were out today, and almost all seemed to be out for the same reason he was – Christmas gifts. Shops and stalls lined the streets, selling almost everything imaginable as people crowded around them. Obviously the merchants were taking advantage of the holiday.

Snow was still falling, covering just about everything in white. People wrapped themselves in warm scarves and coats, and children were stacking large balls made out of the snow one on top of the other to make people-esc statues, or hiding behind things as they threw small balls of snow at each other, laughing as they hit their mark.

Tres wandered down the streets, beginning to look at the shops and stalls as he passed them. It was a new experience to just wander aimlessly, without a definite destination or purpose other than a vague outline of "buy a gift for Abel".

He didn't like it.

And he was pretty sure that if his creators saw him doing this they would have a conniption.

But thinking about Them was _certainly_ not going to solve his problem, so he continued to think of what a good gift for Abel might be.

Then, for no reason at all, a little out-of-the-way shop caught his eye, and he found himself going in, as though prompted by something.

It was dimly lit (though that had never caused him much trouble) and more than a little dusty. One little wrinkled old man sat in one corner, watching Tres intently. It was an antique shop from what Tres could tell, and held a vast variety of junk.

Once again, he felt a slight prompting…

Immediately he checked all systems; everything was working correctly, and there was nothing that didn't belong.

He felt it again…

But it felt… friendly.

He looked…

A little cross sat on one of the piles. It was made of two pieces of metal, one platinum, one silver, that were wrapped around each other. A small sapphire bird and a small garnet bird were placed in the middle wrapped around each other, with the sapphire on the silver piece and the garnet on the platinum.

He picked it up, along with the silver chain that was attached, and brought it over to the old man in the corner. He paid the man, who then wrapped it a piece of brown cloth and handed it to him. Business done, Tres could now return to the Vatican.

As he walked outside, something caught his eye from the other side of the road. It was a girl, no more than seventeen, with platinum blonde hair and sky blue eyes. She wore all white that he could see – coat, scarf, boots, stockings – and when she saw him look at her she smiled happily and waved, disappearing into the crowd.

Or had she just disappeared?

Tres immediately discarded that notion; people don't disappear. She must have just blended in very quickly.

He had what he came here for, though. Abel's gift. That was what mattered, right?

He turned and headed back home.

End

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Well?

Not great, but hey. Any feedback is welcome.

DarkLady


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